The Gastonia City Council met on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM in the Gaston County Courthouse Public Forum Room. The meeting featured student achievement recognitions, multiple proclamations, a presentation on the county emergency operations plan, and a public hearing to amend the Unified Development Ordinance to define and allow murals. The consent agenda was approved after a deletion, and all regular agenda items were passed unanimously.
No members of the public signed up to speak. The public expression period was closed.
Scott Hunter (Gaston County Emergency Management Director) and Assistant Fire Chief Matthew Young presented a four-year update to the county’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). The plan is built on 15 Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) and includes a new section on active violence. A key component is a pre-authorization mechanism: once all mayors sign, the county can declare a state of emergency on behalf of municipalities, speeding resource requests. Each municipality can opt out later. Future phases will add sections on cyber terrorism and provide detailed ESF books and training. Councilmembers asked about nuclear plant emergencies and commended coordination during a recent scrap yard fire.
City Manager Michael Peoples reported on state legislation: House Bill 765 (local government development regulations omnibus) and efforts to include Gastonia in an electronic notification authority bill. He noted that federal BRIC grants (including a $7 million project for Duhart’s Creek) have been suspended indefinitely and the city will send letters to the congressional delegation. A utilities committee meeting and a budget work session were scheduled.
Councilmembers reported on events: a caffeine and conversation, a new downtown ice cream shop ribbon cutting, the Get to Know Gaston event, the Centralina Executive Committee (where a resolution to increase water allotment sought by Charlotte was not passed), upcoming community egg hunts, a pop-up health fair at Gaston Community Action, a grocery giveaway with City Church, the Arts Commission’s new mural on Armstrong Park Road, and upcoming theatrical and musical performances. Councilmember Dave Kirlin also acknowledged Passover and wished a happy Easter.
Mayor Franks recognized Julian, a Highland School of Technology senior with a 4.6 GPA who earned a full merit-based scholarship to the University of Notre Dame to study neuroscience. He also noted that former Florida State basketball coach Leonard Hamilton (a Gastonia native) will throw a ceremonial first pitch on April 27. Upcoming meetings were announced: budget work session April 21, City Council meeting May 6, and others. The meeting adjourned unanimously.
Curlin, lead us in the invocation. Would you bow your heads with me if you so choose? Heavenly Father, this is a very special evening tonight. This is my favorite city council meeting of the whole year. And the reason is because we've brought these many young people here tonight to be recognized for their accomplishments, both in school and as well as in public service. And Lord, these folks are the future of Gastonia. They're the future of our world. And we need to recognize them and we need to hold them up and we need to encourage them to continue to do good work both here in our community as well as they venture off to college and maybe on to other parts of the country or other parts of the world. But we are here tonight to celebrate with their friends and family the accomplishments that they so truly deserve. Lord, I want you to bless us, bless this city, bless its citizens, bless our employees in the city of Gastonia and our management team, bless those that sit up here on the dais. And we are blessed. We are thankful for so many things that you've brought to us. We have a beautiful community, and we're only getting stronger and better. And we thank you for all these blessings you've just have bestowed upon us. Lord, I want you to also lift up those who are less fortunate than we. Those are homeless, those that are unhoused in some fashion, those that are down on their luck, whether they be sick, confirmed, have mental or physical health challenges, please lift them up, lift them up, know that they are truly loved. Lord, at this time, I want you to give us strength and wisdom, keep our ears open, keep our minds open to the great opportunities we have here in the city, and we thank you so much for all that you have given us. All this we ask in your holy name, Amen. Young lady on the front row, would you like to lead us in a Pledge of Allegiance, please? Would you like to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God in the visible liberty and justice for all. Can I get a motion to excuse Councilman Gallagher for this evening? So moved. We have a motion. Do we have a second? Second. We have a second by Councilwoman Little John. All those in favor? It's unanimous. Each of you should have your agenda in front of you. Are there any corrections, additions, deletions to the agenda as presented? Mayor, uh may I make one request to delete from the consent agenda item H5, resolution to amend traffic ordinance to add no parking on both sides of Pembroke Road from Cox Road to a point 600 feet east of Cox Road. Otherwise, I will move to approve the consent agenda. Second. We have a motion. We have a second. All those in favor. Any other additions, deletions, or any motions on the agenda. All those in favor? We have completed that. Yeah, I I put the two together, Mayor. I'm sorry. Okay. Uh the request for the deletion as well as the approval for the modified consent agenda. Or agenda, excuse me. Stand corrected. Yeah. Next up, we'll have the approval of the minutes. We have two sets, the budget outlook work session on March 25th, and the regular city council meeting on April the 1st.